Web file sharing service YouSendIt has jumped into the cloud-based file sharing pool with new apps for desktop and mobile; and at first glance, YouSendIt 1.52.4 is a modest update to the company’s previous iOS client, adding native iPad support, passcode lock, and user interface enhancements. But the refreshed app is now part of a broader strategy that goes beyond its humble roots.

YouSendIt offers a free service for "Lite" users, with 2GB storage and a maximum file size of 50MB, while paid plans are available for storage-hungry users. Users can add, delete, and move files and folders, which are synced to YouSendIt and available from other clients. Files and folders (including camera or library images) can be quickly shared with others in a few taps, with individual users assigned read-only or read/write permissions.

With the latest update, YouSendIt now includes collaborative tools across all clients for marking up PDF, Microsoft Office, or text documents with a signature, text, date, or variety of preset stamps, plus images from your photo library can also be used. The markup tools are a nice touch and get the job done, but they don't work on image files and the UI for using them is clunky. Signing documents requires a slow, steady hand – the faster you sign, the less accurately the app responds.

Accessing files within YouSendIt is also hit or miss. The app doesn’t support iTunes File Sharing, and using the standard iOS “Open in” method often had mixed results. YouSendIt failed to even appear as an option from apps such as ReaddleDocs for iPad, even though it worked just fine on the iPhone.

The bottom line. While YouSendIt remains a fine method of transferring files to colleagues on the desktop, the iOS app feels a little half-baked, lacking the elegance of competitors such as Dropbox and SugarSync. However, most of the web-based YouSendIt features are represented here, and accessing cloud-based files is about as easy as it gets.